"I hate you.
I hate you both.
I hate you both and any possible cohorts you have plus Arle for making me."

"Get real, Sis."
"Yeah, P, you're gonna be incognito. Quit yer complaining and enjoy the sun in front of hundreds. That's nothing new." Amitie and Vento still egged on. One with more purer intentions than the other.

"Can't I at least wear a shirt?"

"No, Sis."
"No!"

"Come on. I'll unbutton it a little…"

"You're going in a bikini, Sil."
"NO SHIRT!"

"Please? I wanna go hoooooome." Separating the Ringmaster from her two employees was a changing booth. Sil was already embarrassed, she stood there cross-armed, slightly cupping the things the swimwear will cover-up. Still in her fully clothed incognito garb staring a the… far from skimpy red bikini, nothing fancy, it was as modest as one could be and just as basic. It didn't show the whole cleavage at Silvana's request, but it still showed too much. Her legs, arms, mouth, lips, chin, cheeks, back, belly, toes, to name a few.

And these things were only scandalous to Sil because she has a secret identity…

"Get real. You promised. You bailed out of last month."
"We were looking forward to that!"
"Yeah. We just want you to be comfortable with what you've got. I think all that time behind your mask really made you shy."

"No, that's not it at all! I was perfectly fine in Zeri."
"You got homesick in three days."
"Because I missed everyone who I can't risk showing them my face to! But I'd go back there! If I wanted to do this I'd go to Zeri's beach and go nuts! But this is Primp, everyone knows me whether they'll know it's me or not!"

"P. You gotta do this." Vento threw his pranky nature aside for a bit. "I agree with A. I always wear a mask, but that just makes me more confident. You know that. Being masked is the greatest thing ever. Those awesome shades are like a new mask. Let it make you more confident."
"Well put, Vento."
Vento blushed. "Aw, shush, A. Twas nuthing."

"Indeed, I feel about as much from that speech. "Nuthing". Look, for three chapters in a row nothing really went my way, even in chapter 67 I still injured Arle that's a net loss. I don't wanna have a fourth chapter where I'll hate myself even more by the end."

"Um… P? Can we do that?"

"I don't care." No… Her anger broke accidentally broke the crazy weak weak spot… I'll have it fixed no time. "That'll teach you for being careless." Sil heard me. She was angry at me… She's ignoring me at the moment. "I don't wanna be a part of this chapter, and that's it!"

She continued. "How did we get to this?" She placed her palm on her forehead. Sometimes slipping down to rub any remaining sand out of her eyes. "This used to be such a wholesome tone-deaf story of an irredeemable psycho who doesn't deserve a second chance getting a second chance anyway to spite her. I blame Chapter 29."

"Why not 31?"
"With the dress, A? I'd say 57. I liked that P. She would enjoy this competition"

"Those are just egregious ones. I'm not elaborating!"

"Sis, please…"
'Lemme guess: It'll be good for me?'
"I think it'll be good for you."
'Kill me.'
"It's better to jump an ice-cold pool than to slowly dip in it."

"Woah. Nicely put, A!"
"Ah, shucks. Thank, Vento. You should feel free to show off~"

"…Ammy. If they're one thing I don't like about our sisterhood is that still find me attractive."
"This has nothing to do with that! And I liked you for more than that! I can still find you pretty and not feel anything romantic about you. You gotta believe me, Sis. I'm doing this for your own good. I was gonna ogle the other girls like Raffi."
"Somehow that feels worse."
"Raffi won't mind."
"And what? You want me to compete and I'm not good enough to ogle? Why do you want me to compete then?"

Hey, still fixing the world's awareness and filter. I'm speeding it up, just fixed that. Yes, this does make sense no matter what way you think about it, thanks. "HEY JERK! THIS CHAPTER WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO AWKWARD IF YOU DIDN'T CANCEL THE SCHOOL PLAY CHAPTER!"

*Grits teeth*

"Sis? Didn't that turn into Chapter 67?"

...I don't remember. Speeding up!

"I haven't had this much stage fright, ever!"

"Hm… Stage fright, huh?" Amitie pondered. "Oh, I know a trick to help you with that. Mommy taught me this. Just imagine everyone in their undies~"

"..."

"Yowchies." Sil slipped her hand through the curtain to slap Amitie.
"I know that trick."
"If you know the trick you don't have to slap me. So?"
"I already tried it. Worked like a charm…"
"Then why did you hit me?"
"Seeing everyone, in swim trunks, bikinis, speedos, one-pieces, oh my…"
"I don't see the problem."
*Dopeslap*
"Yow! Siiiiiis!"

"Stupid 'writer'. I wonder how long we'll last after this chapter. Is anyone even reading this? You guys are so quiet!"
"Sis, you shouldn't address the readers like that."
"Why not? I'm gonna experiencing something deeply uncomfortable and embarrassing I cannot possibly avoid! I'm just sharing the cake. You know, bring some semblance of immersion is this currently cracked reality of ours make them relate!"

I feel like an eldritch god… I don't wanna think about, I'm gonna go to sleep. 3:44? Again?

Vento: It's 23:18 now. Story's still broken because Sil's being a baby 'cuz she doesn't like this.

"…lways narrating in the past tense. What purpose does that serve? Get distracted finishing DOOM II, or something! You just finished the first one again. In fact, play Pirate DOOM, you know you want to! Don't care if Google Chrome hogs RAM!"
…It's true though…
"Just promise me after we're done here that you won't embarrass me like this again."
That's the plan, don't like it either, nothing like this is planned again. Worst case you get a dig.
"Close enough."

Done. They completely forgot about the self-awareness. In fact, it didn't even happen. Most of the above is non-canon. I fixed it up, you just won't get to see it. We won't ever get meta like this again.

*It's safe to skip to here for rereadings*

Sil was done changing. She looked in the mirror one last time. Even she didn't recognize herself. The booth curtain opened. What Amitie and Vento saw stunned them silent.

What they saw was, for the lack of a better term, a bikini babe. But don't tell that to Silvana. The circus girl had her hair dyed Sig cyan. It was unbound, as loose as it can be. She had it cut by three centimeters to be safe. (It was getting too long anyway.)

The upper part of her face was almost completely covered by big mirrored shades you couldn't look through. On her lips was some waterproof lipstick, making them look a bit darker than they are to draw eyes away from the rest of her face.

She was told nobody would recognize like this.

Sil also acted her heart out. She did her best to act like a person who does this regularly showed off regularly and didn't care what people thought, she sold it by posture alone.

"Wow. I don't even recognize you. Looks even better than I thought, S-" Sil coolly put her index finger on Amitie's lips.

"Quiet, blondie." She put on an accent. "We do not know each other, yes?"
"Oh yeah."
"Now get in booth, child I do not know. Put on little suit and enjoy time swimming in nice blue ocean. Яelieve yourself of streß, ja? I know I need it after long day…"

"You should, mystery woman." Vento snickered. "But don't attack the mailman. Pfftthehehe…" It turned to nervous laughter.

Chapter 69: Sinking Premise

"Alrighty, Arle. Here's mah memory potion. Teach that darn Draco not break mah supplies, 'n we'll see if it'll work on yer type of amnesia." Witch hammered in Arle's motivation.

"I sure hope so." Arle said in her blue stylish swimsuit, slightly less plain then Silvana's. A team effort between Witch, and Oshare to outdo Draco's. Specifics? I'm glad the last two swimsuits are canonical because I don't feel comfortable. Arle had her ponytail hang lower for the occasion.

"I'll beat her." She said with an erect arm, a wink and a peace sign. "Hope this beauty contest doesn't get too girly for my tastes."
"Ohohoho! What? Ya expect to enter a beauty contest 'n not get a li'l girly? Do ya wanna lose to Draco?"
"Hey! I'm prettier than her, I'll win! Plus there's a market for tomboys."

Sil overheard this. 'Shoot! This is girly. Do I agree or disagree?' But realized there was something more important. 'Can I make Arle lose to Draco? No… I am prettier than her, I'll win! Plus there's a market for 'foreign' girls.'

"That's the spirit, Arle!" Witch cheered. "Win fer mah revenge 'n yer memory!"
"Yeah!"
"Who's gonna beat Draco?"
"I am!"

'Chin up, Sil. Beat Arle, and win a self-esteem boost you'll need… And then beat Draco AND Raffine for good measure.'


To enter, to Amitie and Witch's chagrin, you must be at least sixteen (or convince them that you're sixteen, as Raffine did last year). There's more to it, be mature, look mature, but that's the gist. This is a regulated competition.

Sil's and Arle's bodies have been matured since they turned seventeen by the way.

"WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" The commentator greeted. "I'LL BE YOUR HOST ON THIS SECOND LADIES CONTEST OF THIS SUMMER! BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN I BRING SAD NEWS! SUKETOUDARA WON'T BE HERE TO COMMENTATE! HE IS SICK!"

"Aw…" The audience went.

"BUT HEY. HE'S ONLY HALF OF THE REASON YOU\RE HERE!"

'what' Thought both Arle and Silvana. Draco, the only other who knows him was just so distracted by her overconfidence that she'll win.

"ARE YOU READY FOR THE BEAUTY CONTEST!?"
"Yeah!"
"ARE YOU READY TO MEET THE BABES!?"
"Yeeeeeaaaaaah!"

The commentator pointed to the line up of 21 ladies.

'…This is what I've roped into?' Without losing her outward cool. She was a bit nervous on the stage. So many almost naked people. She blushed. She glanced at Arle past the two girls between them. Arle didn't seem that bothered by it. 'How far I've fallen… Just a disguise, just a disguise. Play aloof, be aloof!'

"Stiff competition, huh?" Her also slightly nervous non-human looking neighbour said.

"Da. Very da." Sil nodded. She saw Amitie and Vento in the crowd. Sig joined them, Amitie pointed at her.

"NOW, NUMBER 4, WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF?"

#4 was Draco Centauros. Giving that one swimsuit another shot, the one she used on that weird day the sun was bigger than usual. She just told a little about herself.

"KUNG-FU, EH? IT SHOWS."
"Teehee, you're too kind."
"SO TELL YOUR STORY, WHY ARE YOU ARE YOU COMPETING?"
"What, are you stupid? I'm the prettiest girl here, that why."

#11 was Raffine. She was in her Midsummer Raffina alt I wanna be done with this. She gets no dialogue.

#17 was Arle.

"THIS GIRL NEED NO INTRODUCTION. SHE MADE HEADLINES BEING FROM A DIFFERENT WORLD AND HAS DELIVERED EVERYONE'S MAIL AT LEAST TWICE IN PERSON NO DOUBT."
"Sad part is that probably true."
"SO WHY ARE YOU HERE?"
"Filling in for one of my petty friends."
"I SEE. ARE YOU STILL STUCK IN THIS WORLD?"
"Yeah, until I remember how to access that spell from that tournament I have a hard time remembering. And for personal reasons, I'm just in it for the prize money and nothing else. You never know when you get roped into financing reconstructing a building."

#19 was Ms. Accord. Well, it would be, she was one of the 3 of the 24 who called off.

"HEY, I LOVE THE 'SHADES."
"Much thanks."
"AND WHO ARE YOU MS. 21?"
"Ms. Jones."
"OOO~ DO I DETECT AN ACCENT?"
"DA."
"That is none of your busineß."
"MEOW, FOLKS. BEAUTIFUL ON THE OUTSIDE AND SECRETIVE ON THE INSIDE. ISN'T SHE A PEARL? ONLY OPPOSITE!"
'I hate this. Stop cheering!'
"YOU SURE YOU'VE GOT NOTHING TO ABOUT YOURSELF TO THESE FINE FOLKS, MS. JONES?"
"Hmmmm. Da." Sil grabbed the megaphone. "My family should be ashamed of themself for making me vacation here."
"SO YOU DON'T LIKE PRIMP?"
"NO! Nyet! Nyet! Love this town. Яeally love your town. Very quaint. Family just being jerks making me do something I don't want."

Amitie felt a bit guilty.
Vento didn't.

"THAT A BUMMER. I HOPE YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO IN THIS COMPETITION."
"Danke."
"AND NOW OUR LAST NUMBER, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST..."

*Bawk Bawk Baaaaaaaaaawk*

That is the sound of my skimming over this chapter's premise.

Let's just say Sil was a brave girl and endured it to the end. If she was at the dentist she would get a lolly.

Sil just stood there in the aftermath of the contest. Blowing off people who wanna ask her out. She wanted to stare alone at her trophy of sorts.

Draco and Raffine were very upset that they only got 4th and 3rd respectively. The latter put on her cutest sheep faces on her wolf body too.

"Arle got 14th…"

And here 'Sylvana Jones' was. And she got there with aloofness and 'shades alone. She didn't do much to bolster or enforce her sex appeal. So it's kinda miracle she placed there to begin with.

She placed 11th out of 21…

"I beat Arle." She mumbled to herself without meaning so. It didn't mean much. Sil, forgot in the reluctant, semi-competitive spirit, no matter how much Silvana wants to be better than Arle, you can't be Arle if you're better or worse than her.

The feeling never stops gnawing her. Arle needed to leave this dimension as soon as possible to put Sil's life can be content again, but Silvana can't be trusted to do it. Especially not by herself.

"Hey, Ms. J!" Vento ran up. "Imma big fan. Ya did great out there."

"Shut up, Imp." 'Ms. Jones' continued the act.

"But Vento meant it, Ms. Jones." Amitie added with a wink. "You did wicked great. Even with Arle there. And sorry about that, we didn't know."
"Is alright."
"And see? You showed off, and nothing happened."
"I want to die." She replied coolly.
"No don't!"
"Ugh. I'm going home. Яeally want have normal hair colour again and three layers of clothing."
"But the male swimsuit competition is gonna start."
"Even if I didn't wanna go home, I've seen enough in audience."

"We made Sig compete."
"You have what?"
"So you could watch, P."
"He's fifteen! Vento, I'm taking away your mask when you least expect it for a week! See what your stance on that is then! Ammy… I'm locking you out of your room."

"NO!"
"SORRY, VENTO MADE ME DO IT!"

Author's Notes:

Cut: Narrator: I transported your changing booth to Zeri and the contest is over now because of all the chatting. (It's a lie.)

Okay, I'm gonna work on Halloween stuff in preparation.

Vento is a monster.

Next up: Good question. Either the new Halloween chapter, Melody tries to be a parental figure to Sil anyway, or a mini-chapter.